The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating cutlery from restaurant waste, the apparatus including a glacis collecting the waste which slides on it together with any cutlery in a direction towards the opening of a waste container, which is supported by a stand, implemented such that the glacis is preferably positionally adjustable at the container, there being at least two flaps, movable between end positions such as to enable separation of cutlery and the prevention of these items from coming into the container, as well as at least one detector arranged at the glacis before the flaps in the sliding direction of the waste, for sending a signal when an item of cutlery passes over it, the signal controlling a drive means for causing movement of the flaps between their end positions.
An apparatus for separating cutlery from restaurant waste is already known, where the waste containing cutlery is accumulated in a special hopper, before the waste is fed further downwards into a waste container, the operator scraping off the waste from plates and the like having to put his hand into the waste to retrieve the cutlery thus trapped. This is, of course, not regarded favorably by persons cleaning off the dishes before they are washed. In many cases it has therefore been found that cutlery retrieval has been neglected, these items being lost in spite of the measures taken. From studies made in restaurant kitchens in hotels it has been found that not just one or two items, but large amounts of cutlery are lost in this way, particularly when the restaurant has many customers and the waiters are flurried, cutlery being tipped together with waste into the waste container, although special arrangements have been made to catch or arrest and search the waste, which could contain cutlery, since it is always unpleasant for personnel to retrieve the cutlery, particularly in rush-hour conditions.